Computer-mediated corrective feedback and language accuracy in telecollaborative exchanges

Recent studies illustrate the potential that intercultural telecollaborative exchanges entail for language development through the use of corrective feedback from collaborating partners (Kessler, 2009; Lee, 2008; Sauro, 2009; Ware & O’Dowd, 2008). We build on this growing body of research by presenting the findings of a three-monthlong research project that explored the impact of peer feedback on the development of learner accuracy. Our aim was to study participants’ attention to form and the relative effectiveness of error correction strategies. In order to do so, we organised an e-mail exchange between seventeen post-secondary learners of Spanish and German. Data consist of exchanges between the five dyads who completed the full three-month project. As suggested by Vinagre and Lera (2008), analysis of these data indicate that despite frequent use of error correction, the use of remediation led to a higher percentage of errors recycled and was more conducive to error recycling in later language productio